2013, Oh What A Year!

What a year 2013 was for our family!

Seriously, who would have thought when we rested
our heads on our pillows on December 31, 2012 
and woke up on  January 1, 2013 that our family 
would see ALL the changes we saw!

Why did we ever wake up on January 1st?

(that's what I'm thinking some days-not in a
suicidal way for heaven sake, just, well you know!
or probably you don't know, and I'm so happy you don't 
have to know!  So so happy you don't.)

I think that some people have breakdowns over
this much change.  (or much LESS change)

Or are institutionalized. 

There's still hope for that....2014 here we come!

YESSSSSSSS!!!

#oneflewoverthecuckoosnest

In 2013 The Nielson Family learned new words
like:

Cholangiocarcinoma, which both the pronunciation of,
and spelling of, can quite present a challenge. 
To humans of ordinary brain power.

It's obvious we have above sub par brain power
here in the Nielson home.  And we're SUPER humble too.

#hatersgonnahate

And I have to say, somewhat proudly, we have mastered 
BOTH the speaking and writing of this word now
and can say it, and SPELL it, in 4 languages. 

With GUSTO! 

(I'm kidding of course, it's the same in every language.)

Cholangio*freakin*carcinoma 

Yup, that's just about right!

Cholangio*motherfreakin*carcinoma 

See how it rolls off the tongue?

You try it!

But just for fun, try saying it with a heavy Italian
accent, or Spanish accent, or French accent and see
what you come up with.  Maybe even throw some Pig Latin
in there and see what happens.

I'm practicing in my mother tongue of Italian.
(With my usual swear word, or seven, thrown in).

We took a crash course in Cancer 101 and 
(sadly) learned WAY more about this bloody disease
than we ever wanted to.  

#f.cancer

We learned words like:  Gemcitabine and Cisplatin.
I like how they roll off the tongue with ease now.

Gem*cit*a*beeeeeeeeene  

CIS*plat*innnnnnnnnnnnnn

YES!  high five.

We learned what a FABULOUS staff the Huntsman
Cancer Institute has.  The nurses?  Wow!
Nurses are the best.  

#huganursetoday

Dorien went back to work.

First, part time.

Then, full time.

She also went back to school.

(And in case anyone is wondering pulled STRAIGHT
A's last semester.  This semester is Math--no one
hold their breath for a repeat of those kinds of 
grades.  But you can pray for me.  Math and me?
we don't get along very well.)

Kyle went on Long Term Disability and we switched
up the 'Mama Bear' and 'Papa Bear' roles in our home.

The kids have handled ALL of these transitions
with an amazing amount of resilience and grace.

Dorien has handled it all with a bunch of mini
breakdowns, lots of swear words, and by choosing
to remain sober.  

She gets big props for her sobriety thus far.

Kyle has been through 20 something rounds of chemo.
Evil, vile poison that has been dumped into
his body to karate chop at his cancer cells.

(cholangio*frackin*carcinoma)

He has turned 50 Shades of Gray, and Green and Yellow
on chemo days and lived to tell the tale.  And
what a tale he has to tell.  Just don't ask him 
to tell you about it.

He also went all "Radioactive" on us this November
and has earned the new nick name of "Bead Boy."

We are super grateful for the release of the
new Superman movie in 2013 as well.  Since Team Kyle
has somehow taken up with the branding of Superman--
it made any and all T Shirts and Lego's and mugs
and wall art very easy to find and keep finding.

We hope the guys that invested in Superman stock
thank us for helping to fill their pockets this year.

#teamkyle  #superman

This year we also learned about human kindness
as we saw people fill our lives with goodness and love
and help and food and gifts, big and small.  Things
that made us WEEP and things that touched our hearts.

We learned about friendship, and families and 
found in some people a bond that will never be broken.
We saw people dig deep into themselves to carry 
us on their shoulders in good times and bad.

For all of them?  We are forever grateful.

We had "Trips of a Lifetime" to New York City 
and the California beach that we love.

Both places are dear to the hearts of this Nielson
clan and we made treasured memories in the places
we have come to love so very much.

We have made new friends, wives and husbands,
fighting in the trenches with us with this
same cancer.  Some of my nearest and dearest now.
People who check in with texts and messages
and treats.  Ladies who really really really 
get what I'm going through.  Yay for Facebook.
Yay for blogs and Yay for the marvelous internet
that connected us all.

#CCWives

But seriously...

#f.cancer.too

We have a dog, called Ruby the Doodle that 
helps us keep it real.  She makes us laugh.
And you know what they say about laughter.

#bestmedicine

2013 has filled us with perhaps MORE emotion than
any other year previously.  The saddest heartbreaks
and the greatest joys.  The deepest sorrows and
the most heartfelt love.

We're not sure what next year will bring.

We hope some good and happiness and joy.

We hope more time with Kyle.  We hope for more
good health and good reactions to treatments.

We don't know, but we certainly ALWAYS carry
HOPE in our hearts.

#always

This year we learned that LOVE is really, truly
the most important thing.  It's all about love.
Love is all you need.  

#love

We hope to carry that through with us for 2014.

And so on this, the eve of the eve of New Years,
and the only free time I have to write, I bring
you some quiet reflections of our 2013.

Here's to 2014---I hardly dare to say "Bring It On!"

I'm afraid of what may be lurking in the shadows
for us, but I'm hopeful that we will find some 
happiness and joy and goodness and love mingled
in with whatever else comes our way.

I'm sure I will cry some more.

I KNOW I will swear some more.

And I know that I will continue to treasure the
thing that means the VERY most to me in this entire
world...

...My husband and my children.

Here's to straight B's in math.

Chemo that keeps working.

More sunshine than snow.

More happiness than sorrow.

More good memories than bad.

2014 here we come.

Come hell or highwater.

And that's what I've got for today.